Saturday, 10 November 2007

Policia!!!

Well Colombia is definately Colombia.

Today I headed north from Ipiales to Popayan. Most of the journey is through Nariño province, which the British foreign office advises to avoid staying in!!.

At Pasto (capital of the province, and mildly OK by the foreign office) the bus was boarded by 20 odd pistol waving police. Clearly something was up. Everyone was searched quite roughly. I even had to open my trousers to prove no Smith & Western was hiding down there (they missed my grenade launcher!). One police chap took interest in my bank cards and held on to them, whilst I and others where taken to a police room. On the way the polica started putting on rubber gloves. I thought, "Clive best relax, if tense this could be painful"!

Fortunately I was not rubber gloved, but could I find the police chap with my plastic? No. After complaining to the chief officer, who looked very embarrased, I was finally reunited with my cards, whilst an endless search of the bus continued, including removing the headlights to see what lay behind.